Thanksgiving- Then & Now

 Thanksgiving is a time-honored tradition in most American households. As children, we learned the story of the first Thanksgiving shared by the Indians and the Pilgrims, just as our children learn it today. Families gather together over a “feast” and reflect on all the reasons we have to be grateful. Some things may never change, but as history tells us, some things may never be the same.

This past year has been unlike any I have lived through, and I am sure the same is true for you, and your family as well. One thing that is most likely missing are the adorable Thanksgiving plays that are usually held in elementary schools around the country. Many of us may not even be able to gather with family on this special day this year. With so many people having been isolated for nearly an entire year and with no end in sight, the holidays surely do not seem to hold the same magic they had in years past. Many of us have lost family members or friends to Coronavirus, while unfortunately, some have lost several loved ones to the global pandemic. This may leave you feeling there is not really much to be thankful for, or if you won’t be with family or friends this year, you might not see much point in going to all that trouble creating a magical Thanksgiving. So, what can we do to make this year’s Thanksgiving as special and memorable as earlier ones?

I have always loved this time of year and have fond memories from childhood of large family gatherings for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I come from a pretty big family, but we have always been a tight knit group, and as a child, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinners were shared with our extended family members. Thanksgiving was always held at my grandmother’s sister, Louise’s house, because she had the most space to accommodate the many different families created by my grandmother and her five siblings. Aunts, uncles and cousins, grandparents, and of course, parents and siblings, spread out throughout my great aunt’s beautiful and spacious home, sharing a meal and lots of love and laughter.

I was always enamored with my Aunt Louise’s house. Everything was just so glamorous to me, from the thick, shag carpeting to the shiny brass statues and various trinkets that adorned each room. I usually enjoyed my turkey with my cousins in the den, which featured an accent wall, decorated with a realistic, floor-to-ceiling photo wallpaper of a quiet and serene forest full of trees. In the center of the room was her gorgeous, all-white, Christmas tree that, year after year, lent its branches to dozens of bright red, feathery, bird decorations. My favorite thing about my aunt’s house, however, was by far the ceilings. I can almost hear your confusion as you read that last sentence, but don’t worry, you haven’t misread it; to this day, the ceilings of my ever-stylish and trendy great aunt’s home are one of the most vivid memories in my childhood. This is because the ceilings had been sprayed with multicolored glitter, which was now embedded in its popcorn-textured surface.

Reflecting back on it now, this may have been the first spark to light the fire for my love of vintage. I still would love to have those sparkling ceilings in my own home and one day I will! I can remember squinting one eye, and tilting my head, until the light hit those specks of glitter just right, transforming them into brightly shining stars in the sky of the forest in her den. Maybe you have similar memories of holiday meals served on Grandma’s fancy dishes that were only taken out of the china cabinet for special occasions, or special traditions your family always shared together. Thanksgiving, especially Thanksgiving of 2020, is the perfect time to make use of that beautiful, gold-rimmed china you inherited from Granny, or the cool, vintage goblets your parents bought when they were first married. Incorporating these favorite family heirlooms can be a much-needed reminder of simpler days, as well as of the love shared among families, for which we can all still be thankful for.

Even if Thanksgiving is a bit different this year, it doesn't mean you can't still spend it with the ones you love.

I also encourage you to make use of the technology we have today,  and host a Face time or Zoom Thanksgiving meal. This way, no one has to be alone, or lose out on the magic, and warm feelings that have always been associated with this time of year. Just imagine the surprised look on your sister’s face, when she notices the goblets the two of you coveted so much as kids, peeking out from the corner of her screen. After all, isn’t that the feeling we are trying to recapture through collecting yesterday’s treasures anyway? That overwhelming nostalgia that takes you back to a cherished memory.

How will your family be spending Thanksgiving this year? If you can’t be physically together, are you planning to take advantage of the technology we have today to enjoy a virtual meal together? What favorite vintage items can you incorporate into the non-traditional Thanksgiving of 2020? I can’t wait to see what creative combinations of yesterday, and today that we all can come up with, to ensure this Thanksgiving is still a special time for families.